Alpkit Viso 3 tent review: One of the best-value three-person tents on the market

When the Alpkit Viso 3 landed on my doorstep, I’ll admit I was skeptical. “How can this be labelled a backpacking tent when it weighs 3.9kg?” I wondered. However, after testing it, I realised that this misses the point.

Like many of the other three-person tents we’ve reviewed, the Viso 3 might appear somewhat of a niche offering. It’s much smaller than the best family tents, but heavier than most backpacking tents. Who should buy it, then, and why?

The answer actually isn't so niche: the Alpkit Viso 3 is excellent for campers who need more space than a two-person tent, who don't mind carrying extra weight and who don't want to fork out hundreds of pounds.

The main point is that it’s simply really good value. It's not ultralight and it might not fit the whole family, but in just about every other area of tent performance the Alpkit Viso 3 does very well, for a very decent price.

True, only the hardiest backpackers will willingly carry the Alpkit Viso 3 on their back. But it’s not crazy heavy, especially if you split the load between multiple people. And there’s room enough for two adults and a small child (or a couple of backpacking rucksacks).

So, exactly how well did it perform when I put it to the test on the edge of the Peak District? Read on to find out my verdict.

Design and features

The Alpkit Viso 3 is tunnel-shaped, formed by three parallel poles. The middle pole is longer than the end two, creating a half-cylindrical shape which tapers at both ends.

Just over half of the tent is taken up by the sleeping area, while the rest is a porch space. The porch is actually roomy enough to fit a couple of camping chairs, which is handy if the weather turns.

As with most three-person tents, it comfortably fits two people plus gear, or one adult and two little ones. Three adults would be a squeeze, though not impossible given that there’s a lot of storage space in the porch.

The interior isn’t heavily featured. There are two hooks to hang head torches on, one at the head and one at the foot of the tent. You get two small pockets next to the zipped entrance, but three people might find that there’s not enough pocket space.

Set up and pack down

I found that it’s relatively straightforward to put up. The first time, there’s some fiddling needed to adjust the guylines, and you’ll need to attach the inner to the outer. But once you’ve got this dialed in, it’s pretty quick, taking about 10 minutes.

Some tents need a lot of faffing about with poles, tent corners and guylines to not flap in the wind, but I didn’t have that problem with the Viso 3. It’s easy to properly tension-out, thanks to eight appropriately-spaced guylines.

Packing it away on my own, I quickly gave up trying to fold it (my impatience is at fault here, not the tent). Fortunately, it can be stuffed into its bag pretty easily, and you don’t need to detach the inner each time.

Weight and pack size

At 3.9kg, the Viso 3 is heavy for a backpacking tent, but about average when compared to many three-person tents. It weighs almost double that of a premium, ultralight three-person tent, but is much lighter than three-person tents designed solely for car camping.

Packed away, it's pretty bulky, but it fits into my 35L hiking rucksack easily enough (though there's not much space for anything else). I'd say it wouldn’t be complete madness to carry on your back or bike, especially if you can split it between two people.

A considerable bonus here is that you can pitch the outer on its own. It’s still a good idea to use a bivvy bag inside to protect your sleeping bag, but you’ll have a bit of extra warmth and protection, and this could help you save at least 1kg of weight.

Weatherproofing

On a windy, rainy night, chances are you’ll be grateful for the Alpkit Viso 3. The outer boasts a 8,000mm hydrostatic head rating, which means it holds up well against persistent heavy rain.

The floor material of the inner curves up to form a shallow 'bathtub' shape, which helps to stop water seeping in at ground level. And it’s good to see that the zip is well entrenched behind a layer of fabric, as this helps to stop water ingress.

As for the second element that British weather likes to hurl at unsuspecting campers, wind, the Viso 3 seems able to hold its own on a squally night. When positioned properly, the tunnel-shape sheds wind well, and there are enough guylines to properly tension it out and stop the fabric flapping around.

However, you won’t want to go anywhere near it after the sun has risen on a hot day. I tested it on a day when temperatures hit 30°C in the afternoon and it instantly became a greenhouse. While you get one small ventilation panel in the bedroom, there’s no windows, nor are the fabrics reflective of heat.

Durability

More time is needed to tell how durable it really is, and I’ll update this review if needed, but the Viso 3 looks and feels like a decent-quality tent. The outer uses 68-denier polyester with a 190-thread count, and the inner is made from the same 190T fabric. Specs aren’t everything, but these figures suggest that it’s rather robust.

Through my background research I note that a couple of people have have found the porch groundsheet is prone to rips and tears (though it doesn't seem to be a widespread issue). I haven’t yet tested it on any rocky camping spots, but it does seem quite thin. This isn’t ideal, though a rip to the porch groundsheet is far less serious than a hole in the inner.

If any part of the tent did tear, Alpkit offers a patch repair service for £25, though some brands do this for free.

Price and competition

With an RRP of £179.99 ($259.99), the Alpkit Viso 3 is one of the most affordable three person tents we’ve tested. Its closest in-house competitor, the Alpkit Jaran 3, weighs almost 1.55kg less, but costs £100 more.

In our review of the Alpkit Jaran 3, we concluded that it's good value for backpacking. But if you’re camping with a car, the Viso 3 is a better option: it has superior waterproof ratings, is made from tougher materials and costs a lot less.

Lighter three-person tents tend to be a lot more expensive. For instance, our favourite lightweight three-person tent, the Nemo Dagger OSMO 3P, has an RRP of £580. It weighs 2.1kg, which is a lot more manageable, but it’s best for serious backpackers who want to travel fast and light.

At the lower end of the three-person tent price spectrum are pop-up tents. There are many cheaper options in our list of the best pop-up tents group test, but they're designed for more casual camping as they're typically heavy and not great in poor weather.

Verdict

All in all, the Alpkit Viso 3 is an excellent value three-person tent. It’s not the lightest, but it’ll keep you and your gear protected from the elements, and in reasonable comfort, for a lot less money than most alternatives.

For car camping, you could also consider inflatable tents, as long as your boot has enough space.

About the author

Based in Sheffield, Live for the Outdoors writer Evie Nichols has hiked and camped in more than 10 countries across Europe and beyond. She's a big fan of the long-distance GR routes, her favourites being the GR20 in Corsica, GR221 in Mallorca and GR52 in the Alps.